The present invention relates to a fuel injector or fuel injection valve.
A fuel injector of one known type includes a valve seat member formed with a valve seat; a valve element slidably received in a tube member and driven by a drive section to move to and from the valve seat; and a nozzle plate formed with one or more injection holes to inject fuel after passage through the interspace opened between the valve element and valve seat in a valve open state. Fuel injectors of such a type are disclosed in Published Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H03-130571published on Jun. 4, 1991; Published Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. H03-108855published on Nov. 8, 1991; and Published Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-155547 published on Jun. 16, 2005. Fuel supplied into the tube member is conveyed through a hollow portion between the inside circumferential surface of the tube member and the valve element, thereafter guided to the nozzle plate and injected through the injection holes. In the fuel injector of Published Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-155547, the valve element includes a spherical valve body and a sliding portion slidably supported by the tube member.